Which is best depends on the time of year, the location and the activity. For most hiking and backpacking a tiny ultralight tool is all, I need such as the Leatherman Style CS or the SAK Classic Executive.

With both these tools I find the scissors the most useful item. If I’m likely to be lighting fires, whether in the open or in a wood-burning stove, a longer blade is useful so then I also carry a Tool Logic SLR, which also has a fire steel in the handle.

In winter conditions when I’m likely to have gear with me that is more difficult to adjust or repair- skis or snowshoes and crampons – I carry a heavier tool, the Leatherman Fuse which has more functions and is stronger than the lighter ones.

Without question, the most important tool for me is my pack. I have three different sized packs that I can choose from depending upon the length and
duration of the hike, and the need to carry other important essentials with me.

My packs make carrying food and water a lot easier than filling up pockets,and I can keep rain gear and warm/dry clothing in there if necessary.

I look for a pack that has handy zippered pockets to make my compass, snacks, and bear spray easily accessible. Two of my three packs are setup to hold a hydration system bladder, and the other “fanny pack” has room for (2) half-liter bottles.

There are plenty of other items I always have with me for safety, first-aid and survival, but it all starts with a pack. Don’t leave home without it.
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Physical, mental, equipment, and logistics preparation are the keys to successful long hikes. If you fail in any of those areas, things go bad quickly. Focusing on the equipment part, having access to clean drinking water is the most important thing. For that reason, my Sawyer Squeeze water filter is extremely important.

I like my water to look clear and taste clean which chemicals, UV light, and boiling don’t accomplish. The Squeeze filter has made drinking water access simple and fast, unlike previous heavy filters that break, clog, and slow down.
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My number one tool for day hikes are Leki trekking poles. They help make hiking trails much more efficient and safe. Whether hiking uphill, downhill or on flat ground, trekking poles are there to keep you upright as you navigate your way over rocks, roots and other obstacles.

If you happen to stumble, the poles help you regain balance, preventing possible injury. I also wrap duct tape near the bottom of each pole to use for any emergency, from blisters and open wounds to shoe and pack repair.

When hiking uphill, the use of trekking poles greatly increases endurance. They take some of the load off your legs, allowing you to go further using the same amount of effort (think of it as 2-wheel drive vs 4-wheel drive). A side benefit here is you actually burn more calories using trekking poles, because you are exercising more muscles.

When hiking downhill, trekking poles help prevent slipping and enable you to move faster. This is possible because as you lean into the poles a bit, the angle your feet make contact with the ground is increased and they are pushed into the slope for better traction.

When stepping down from boulders in the trail, your can plant the poles before jumping to ensure you don’t slip after landing.

The next favorite tool that I have with me 24×7 is a Gerber BG compact multi-tool. I use it daily for various tasks.

I don’t actually use a multitool as such but rely on an old swiss army knife I have. The longest I’m out is 3 days and even with wild camping, the various tools on the knife have covered all eventualities.

Having seen your site though I’m thinking I should address that and get one!

Well, I never go anywhere that doesn’t have a metal detector in front of it without my Gerber Fast Draw Folding Knife, but that goes for home, office, and the trail, so I’m not sure that counts as hiking gear for me.

After that, it gets very hard, because I’m an obsessive over-preparer, and I don’t hike anywhere other than the park across the street without my daypack, containing my first aid kit, a headlamp, a small rag/towel, water, Gatorade, camp toilet paper and hand sanitizer (for the wife), tissue, and a snack bag with jerky, nuts, granola, and dog treats.

If I’m anywhere out of town, it also has another ziplock with bug net, bug spray, hurricane lighter, compass, knee braces, space blanket, poison ivy/oak scrub, and a rain cover for my straw hat.

So if you let me cheat, I’m just going to say my daypack, but if not, and we spot me my knife that is always with me, and rule that water/Gatorade isn’t gear (because you HAVE to have liquid when hiking in SoCal, then I would have to go with my straw cowboy hat, because I’m pasty white and burn easily. 🙂

Contrary to many of the responses, I don’t feel that a Knife is mandatory; I do always carry one, and it definitely has its place; but if I had to pack a single tool it would be a Map.

A Map a solid “tool” or item that gets use every time I go hiking; my knife might not make it out of its sheath, but I check a map every time. It reduces my work navigating considerably; and helps facilitate the whole reason I go hiking, which is to see the beauty the wilderness has to offer.

As a bonus, If I had to have a single tool for a survival situation i’d change it from a Map, it would be an SOS beacon, as much as its romantic to say I could survive with a knife and make my own way out (And heck I probably could); I could easily break my leg or get knocked unconscious, in these situations an SOS beacon outshines a knife pretty convincingly.

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